Franciscans nurture Indonesian youth awareness of nature

Jun 28, 2019

By Ryan Dagur
Maria Oktavianie, 17, spent four days at the Franciscan Eco-pastoral Centre on Flores Island in Indonesia’s predominantly Catholic East Nusa Tenggara province for a gathering organised by Franciscan priests.

Along with 250 Catholic youths from all five parishes served by the priests in the region, she took part in a spiritual discussion and skills training programme on how to make organic fertilisers from natural ingredients and how to conserve water as well as making visits to the sick.

There was also the planting of thousands of trees in two hilly areas in Manggarai district, where illegal logging was once a serious environmental threat.

The teen from St Francis of Assisi Church in Tentang, West Manggarai district, said the gathering was truly beneficial. “I gained new experiences. Now I’m aware of the need to protect the environment,” she said, promising that she will encourage other youths to do so.

Another youth, Jakobus Jefrianus Sandi, a 26-year-old parishioner of Christ the King Church in Pagal in Manggarai district, was impressed by the one-day tree planting activity and promised to introduce similar activities in his own parish.
The gathering, during which participants were asked to reflect on Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato si’ (On Care for Our Common Home), was part of efforts by the Franciscan priests to provide youths with more intensive empowerment programmes — one of their resolutions made during a recent commemoration marking 90 years since the Franciscans first came to the country.

Walk with youths
According to Fr Mikhael Peruhe, provincial superior of the Order of Friars Minors in Indonesia, similar empowerment programmes are being held in other regions focusing on issues considered more pressing in that area.

“Our targets are youths who care for the environment, marginal groups and interfaith dialogue as these form the core of the Franciscans’ mission,” the priest said. “We want to be with them in the midst of current challenges.”

Challenges
However, not all these efforts by the Franciscans are easy to implement.

“The challenge is how to provide a pattern of accompaniment which really addresses the situation youths find themselves in,” Fr Peruhe said. “Our struggle is to find the right formula in order to involve more youths.”

He said current developments like digital technology pose new challenges to empowerment programmes as these lead to individualism and negligence among young people.

Nevertheless, Franciscan priests receive good support from young activists in carrying out their mission. --ucanews.com